News

Recent posts

Broken zipper? Hole? All is not lost, repair your outdoor clothing!

Feb 07, 2017

Do you have a go-to jacket? One that you throw on to take the kids to school, the dog for a walk, or layer up with for a winter hike or day out on the mountain. What do you do when your beloved jacket snags a branch while skiing the trees, or the zipper separates as you are rushing to get the kids out the door in the morning?

In the age of the internet, it is too easy to go online and order a new version of your old standby. A brand new go-to jacket that will show up on your doorstep in a matter of days. Your old jacket gets tossed out and you are back in action...but your old jacket? Not so much.

We live in a disposable society - full of plastic and cheaply made garments that people are ok with throwing out and replacing with the latest and greatest. This comes at a huge cost to the environment and our natural resources.

We recently sent off a jacket to Patagonia - the zipper was broken but the jacket was otherwise in pristine condition. We received it back in the mail today with a brand new zipper and a note, thanking us for repairing our clothing.

"As consumers, the single best thing we can do for the planet is to keep our stuff in use longer, thereby reducing the need to buy more."

So before you discard your much loved outdoor clothing, think about whether a simple repair would bring it back to life for you.

If you are interested, check out Rainy Pass Repair - this is the company that REI recommends for repair of outdoor clothing.

Of course, Patagonia's Worn Wear program is a great option if you are dealing with Patagonia clothing. They also have videos showing you how to repair your own clothing...if you are crafty like that.

In short, if you have like-new outdoor clothing that you are looking to pass on, send it to Threadlyte...if you have some favorite pieces that have seen better days, consider the repair option before you send it to the landfill. You've had great times together, give your jacket another chance!